Page 34 of Relentless

Oakleigh recognized the false, bouncy tone in her mother’s voice. Every word lacked the genuineness and authenticity that she had come to value. Stopping in her tracks, she found the courage to meet Harper’s eyes, hoping for a glint of accountability for the hurt she had caused.

“Typical,” Harper shrugged, focusing her attention on her bright screen. She flipped on the glaring flashlight on her phone and navigated carefully, her heels vanishing into the squishy earth. “This driveway really should be paved, Maeve,” Harper badgered. “Not everyone likes to be covered in muck.”

As though summoned, Dozer came bounding down the steps to greet their newest guest. He pounced, leaving large,muddy prints on Harper’s delicate white top and tan slacks. His tongue flopped from his mouth as he panted, waiting impatiently to be petted.

“Ugh, go,” she recoiled with a flick of her hand. “Shoo.”

Maeve patted her thigh, “Dozer, leave her be.”

Dozer obediently jumped down. Heading straight to Maeve, she didn’t seem to care at all that his paws left muddy prints on her jeans. Stooping down, she let the rambunctious dog sneak a lick to her chin. “Aw, I missed you too, boy.”

Harper’s lip curled in disgust. She swiped at the mud, only streaking it more.

“Boots, Oakleigh,” Maeve reminded.

Oakleigh’s brow furrowed in frustration. She pulled off her boots, and flung them to the side of the porch. Storming through the entryway, she ignored the beckoning call of the warm, crackling fireplace and pivoted toward the stairs, desperately seeking the quiet safety of her bedroom.

Battling against her temper, she fought the urge to slam her door.

If there was ever a night to slam a door, it was that one.

She stripped out of her work clothes and flung them into a pile on the floor. The bitter cold had bit right through her jacket. She was shivering as she twisted the knob on the shower, holding her fingers under the stream until it ran steaming hot. When she stepped in, the water stung her frozen skin. The sensation reminded her of the chilly Pacific Ocean workingthrough her warm wetsuit on those early mornings before dawn cracked across the horizon.

Paisley.

“Why do I keep doing this to myself?” she anguished, banging her fist on the shower wall. Seeing her mother’s face had brought it all back, raw and bubbling to the surface.

Pulling a plush white towel off the rack, she wrapped it tightly around herself. Going next to her closet, she examined her wardrobe. She felt content with the functional style she had settled into. It was practical, yet she had discovered that practicality didn’t have to mean shabby. Oakleigh was realizing there was more to life than style, makeup, or expensive designer clothing. Although there was nothing essentially wrong with those things, she had found that true beauty came from within.

Her stomach roiled as she considered what her mother would think.

Feeling a surge of defiance, she aggressively pulled her cozy gray yoga pants with such force that the plastic hanger clattered against the closet wall. She then chose an oversized hoodie to match. Plopping down on her bed, she grabbed her phone and began to scroll. Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself that she was safe within the boundaries of her quiet room.

Not long after came the knock on her door that she had been expecting.

“It’s unlocked, Maeve,” she announced.

The door handle twisted, and Maeve stepped in. Expertly balancing two coffee mugs, she kicked the door closed with her heel. She set a mug on the nightstand and took a seat on the edge of her bed, patiently sipping her coffee in silence.

Maeve was annoyingly persistent when she chose to be.

“I’m fine, really,” Oakleigh emphasized. “Thanks for the coffee.” Admittedly, dropping her travel mug into the mud had been one of the biggest tragedies of the day, second only to the shock of her mother’s arrival.

“I don’t think you’re fine,” Maeve prodded, distractedly swirling the coffee around in her mug. “I’m certainly not.”

Oakleigh searched for the right words to express her frustration without lashing out. “I just wasn’t expecting this today.”

“I should have called ahead and warned you,” Maeve admitted, thumbing the smooth ceramic handle. “I’m sorry, Oakleigh.”

Oakleigh felt the sting of tears well up in the corners of her eyes at the genuine apology. Maeve was the only person she had ever known who not only took ownership when she had made a mistake, but truly meant it.

She took a long drink of her coffee, made perfectly as usual. Taking a deep breath, she gathered her nerve to ask what was weighing on her mind. “Why did you bring her here?”

“Because, well —” Maeve sighed, looking off into the distance as though she were questioning it herself. “I can’t explain it, but something seems off.”

Oakleigh raised a sharp eyebrow.

“More off thannormal,” Maeve added, attempting to hide her amused smile while taking another long sip of her coffee.

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